Home     Contact Us         Log in

Community Articles - Category Archive

May 13
Tuesday

Bhikshuni Pema Chödrön appointed Abbess of Gampo Abbey

Filed under Community Articles, Featured Columns

An excerpt from the Gampo Abbey May 2025 Newsletter.

Our first Abbot, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (1933-2023), served at the request of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche for many years until his passing in 2023, and Ani Pema has been our Principal Teacher for all those years.

Today, we are very pleased to share some exceptionally good news. Bhiksunni Pema Chödrön has agreed to be the Abbess of Gampo Abbey. She has a vision for moving forward, keeping the monastic tradition alive in the Western world, and we are very pleased.

After serving the community for over forty years as Principal Teacher, Ani Pema will become our Abbess. Following our first Abbot, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, who died in 2023, Ani Pema says she is very excited to take this new role.

Watch the video to see her comments on the appointment.

To honour her appointment, we have initiated a fund to support the future operations of Gampo Abbey and fulfill her vision going forward called Honouring Abbess Pema Chödrön.

If you would like to link your karmic path and show your support for our new Abbess, you can do that below.

Donate Now to Honor Our New Abbess

Entries filed under Community Articles


Confidence, Inspiration, Vulnerability

Confidence, Inspiration, Vulnerability – HIGHLIGHT

Reflections from the leadership program “Magnetizing Enlightened Society” by Larry Steele Sunlight pouring through the windows lights the bamboo floor of Seattle Shambhala Center shrine room. Green leaves shimmer with life outside. And, of course, it is raining. Thirty-five straight-backed meditators breathe out, flowing with Shastri Trinley Busby’s guided ... continue
Posted February 9, 2018 by CGH
Women's March Los Angeles

Women’s March Los Angeles – HIGHLIGHT

Shambhalians participate in the LA Women’s March, offering a meditation flash mob to accompany the main event by Jason Elias On Saturday, January 20, 2018,  hundreds of thousands of people showed up for the Women’s March in downtown Los Angeles (local news station KTLA estimated participation at 400,000). ... continue
Posted February 1, 2018 by CGH
Moment to Moment

Moment to Moment – HIGHLIGHT

A few thoughts that pop to mind by Susan Firer I’m experiencing writer’s block again. I was on a roll with easy flowing topics the last couple of months, but not so right now. I think I may just write briefly about ideas that pop into my mind…like ... continue
Posted January 30, 2018 by CGH
Protecting the Space

Protecting the Space – HIGHLIGHT

Reflections on the role and purpose of the Dorje Kasung by Larry Steele John Gilvar, commander of Seattle Shambhala’s Dorje Kasung, recently was telling me about the Container Principle. It’s the Buddhist idea that people meditating together naturally create a zone of heightened awareness: a container. As he talked, ... continue
Posted January 28, 2018 by CGH
New Year Limbo

New Year Limbo – HIGHLIGHT

Preparing for the Tibetan New Year by Max Roberts-Zirker This time of year is a sort of ‘new year limbo’ for Shambhalians, having just started a new Gregorian calendar year while still wrapping up the Tibetan year of the Fire Bird. Instead of trying to think of which ... continue
Posted January 26, 2018 by CGH
Heartfelt Practice of Generosity

Heartfelt Practice of Generosity – HIGHLIGHT

Shambhala Trust provides funds for four projects at Fall 2017 meeting by Gregory Lubkin On the weekend of December 1-3, 2017, the Shambhala Trust held its semi-annual meeting at the Los Angeles home of Trust member Gregory Lubkin.  During the weekend, the Trust invited some of the Southern California ... continue
Posted January 24, 2018 by CGH
Teen Retreat in Winter

Teen Retreat in Winter – HIGHLIGHT

Teens gather for practice and conversation in the depths of a cold and snowy Vermont winter by Anne-Marie Keppel Through guidance, inquiry and activities built from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s new book, The Lost Art of Good Conversation, the Winter Teen Retreat at Karmé Chöling was an incredibly rich program. Seventeen ... continue
Posted January 12, 2018 by CGH
Feeling and Touching Kindness

Feeling and Touching Kindness – HIGHLIGHT

Reflections on the Social Engagement Think Tank at Sky Lake, New York, October 2017 by Lourdes de León Since our Social Engagement Think Tank, I have been processing my experiences,  connecting to emotions that continue to arise. I have been trying to put my experience into words, first ... continue
Posted January 2, 2018 by CGH
The Eleventh Hour

The Eleventh Hour – HIGHLIGHT

I believe the eleventh hour to be upon us, and perhaps coincidentally, I have witnessed a thrilling shift within Shambhala. by Anne-Marie Keppel October 2017 was a new dawn in Shambhala for me. Though I have been sitting on cushions since I was five, and gobbling up any available ... continue
Posted December 27, 2017 by CGH
Bringing Shambhala to Diversity Work

Bringing Shambhala to Diversity Work – HIGHLIGHT

Addressing harmful aspects of social conditioning by creating a brave and caring community by members of the Shambhala Diversity Working Group We are pleased to see the Shambhala mandala bubbling with awareness and curiosity! What range of life experiences do we bring to our community?  Can we create ... continue
Posted December 23, 2017 by CGH
Children's Day Song

Children’s Day Song – HIGHLIGHT

A lively tune to share in cheerful celebration from Jay Lippman In preparation for the Children’s Day celebration at the West Chester Shambhala Center, center member, mother, musician, and music therapist Carin Smith, along with technical assistance and support from Center Director Alice Goguen and member Jay Lippman, ... continue
Posted December 21, 2017 by CGH
Children's Day is Every day

Children’s Day is Every day – HIGHLIGHT

by Larry Steele Iliana the warrior-girl was afraid. Days had turned dark and everyone feared the sun would never return. But Iliana vowed to find the sun and bring it back to her family and community. Seattle Shambhala children dressed up in warrior crowns and tiger stripes to ... continue
Posted December 19, 2017 by CGH
Inviting the Magic of Play

Inviting the Magic of Play – HIGHLIGHT

Why Children’s Day is not just for children by Leslie Gossett Every year, I get so excited about Children’s Day. I love planning the celebration, taking the Emperor and Empress dolls out, inviting the delight and magic of play into the Shrine Room in a very intentional way. Also ... continue
Posted December 10, 2017 by CGH
One Really Good Idea

One Really Good Idea – HIGHLIGHT

Supporters of Sky Lake bring a great idea to fruition: holding an online fundraising auction with items donated from local friends and all around the mandala by Irene Woodard First, let me answer a question that may be on your mind: Where is Sky Lake? It is located ... continue
Posted December 7, 2017 by CGH
Dispelling the Myth of "They"

Dispelling the Myth of “They” – HIGHLIGHT

A story about Growing Brave through discovering inherent wisdom by Leslie Gossett There is so much sadness and longing in creating good human society. We feel the potential. Yet we also feel how distant this possibility might seem. I’ve been involved in Shambhala leadership for a few years: from ... continue
Posted November 12, 2017 by CGH

RSS feed for the Community Articles category

View all posts from authors in Community Articles: jillian_johnson



Website Development by Blue Mandala using Wordpress MU.
All content and source Copyright © 1994-2025. Shambhala International (Vajradhatu), Shambhala, Shambhala Meditation Center, Shambhala Training, Shambhala Center and Way of Shambhala are registered service marks of Shambhala USA
Privacy Policy
Translate »